A Large underwater discovery of natural gas was found off Israeli shores.

The exploration venture between Houston-based Noble Energy and Israel’s Delek Energy Systems Ltd., announced that its Leviathan underwater field contained some 18 trillion cubic feet of gas. Less than two years ago, the partners found 8 trillion cubic feet of gas in the near by oil field of Tamar. Having its own supply of natural gas will give Israel long-term security. However Russian experts speculate that they may have only scratched the surface with these new finds. According to the experts, they are all sitting around the edges of one of the world’s biggest unexploited lakes of gas totalling an estimated 122 trillion cubic feet under the Mediterranean sea bed. It also contains massive unknown quantities of oil.

However, it is not only Israel, who is laying claim to the reserves. Greek Cyprus, Turkey and Lebanon also say the oil and gas is theirs. Lebanon’s has asked the United Nations foreign minister to protect its territorial rights in the Mediterranean, where Israel plans to drill for oil and gas. Lebanon also filed a complaint with the United Nations after Israel placed buoys extending two miles into the sea. January 4^th Lebanese foreign minister Ali Shami asked UN Secretary Ban ki-moon to order the UN force stationed in South Lebanon to stop Israel from drilling. Turkey, Syria and Lebanon have challenged the maritime mapping accord of the international borders, which Jerusalem and the Nicosia government recently signed with Greek backing, calling it a conspiracy to rob them.

With a GDP larger than all of its neighbors, Israel has evolved into an economic and technological powerhouse, from nothing. However 122 trillion cubic feet of gas and unlimited oil reserves will make Israel one of the wealthiest nations on the earth.

The Russian oil company Gazprom has been trying to enter the Israeli energy market for the last few years. Missing out on the Tamar prospect was a major loss. Russia is the largest exporter of energy now, surpassing Saudia Arabia. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s has scheduled a visit to Israel in mid-January, to offer help with security matters and work a deal on the new find. Medvedev’s visit is set to promote a major switch in Kremlin Middle East policy to warmer relations with Israel and correspondingly less intense ties with Iran, Syria and the radical Palestinian Hamas. Furthermore, the Russians have got two bids in play for a slice of the as-yet untapped Mediterranean gas. Sourced from: DEBKAfile http://www.debka.com/article/20457/

Ezekiel Gog \ Magog Prophecy

Up until now the assets of Israel were of no interest to Russia. The prophecy up until the last few years seemed like it was a mirror of the battle of Armageddon. However Russia has now turned it’s eyes toward the soon to be had riches in Israel.

Ezekiel 38-39 is a prophecy about a Russian-led alliance which will attack the small Jewish-Israeli nation just prior to the second coming of Jesus. However parallel scripture reflects both the tribe of Judah and the other tribes scattered in Europe and the United States may be involved.

Ezekiel 38:1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: 4And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth… 5Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: 6Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.

Who are the Players?

Amos 7:1 (LXX: Septuagint)
Thus the Lord showed me, and behold a swarm of locusts were coming, and, behold, one of the young devastating locusts was Gog, the king.

Revelation 9:11 And they (the locust) had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

The land of Magog                   Russia – Rosh Chief Prince
Meshech and Tubal                  Southern Russia – Scythians
Persia                                           Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan
Ethiopia                                      Ethopia and Sudan
Libya                                           Libya
Gomer                                         Eastern Europe \ European Union
Togarmah                                  Turkey
“Many peoples with thee”      Various other Islamic nations aligned with Russia

Genesis 10

The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.

Gomer: From this son of Japheth came the Germanic peoples, from whom came most of the original peoples of Europe.

Magog, Tubal, Meshech: These settled in the far north of Europe and became the Russian peoples.

The Invasion

There has been speculation by many Bible scholars that this prophecy is in conflict with the Israel of today. Israel is not living in peace or without walls. However, with Russia coming to the aid of Israel on the security front to allow a deal with the oil and gas, we can see how Israel could be shielded by Russia in the beginning.

Ezekiel 38:10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: 11And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, 12To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. 13Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?

The King James translation here is deceiving. The Hebrew text does not necessarily say unwalled villages or cattle:

 

Strongs 6519

 

 

an open region, hamlet…

 

Strongs 4735

 

possession, purchase, substance

The 70th Week Time Frame

Ezekiel 39:9 And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years:

Burning of weapons for 7 years? The 7 year time frame would appear to be more than just a coincidence pointing to this happening at the beginning of Daniel’s 70^th week or last 7 years.

Conclusion

World events are coming together making the prophecy of Ezekiel 38 and 39 possible in the near future. The Gog \ Magog war leads into the Battle of Armageddon which is described in the Book of Revelation. Israel will be one of the wealthiest countries on the Earth soon, which will become the “Hooks in the Jaws” of Russia.